In this article, we are going to discuss the 35 Best Countries For Raising Kids. You can skip our detailed analysis based on Reddit threads and go directly to 10 Best Countries For Raising Kids.
When choosing the best place to raise kids, there are many factors to consider, such as the cost of living, education system, safety, health, and quality of life. Some countries offer better support for families than others, with generous parental leave policies, affordable childcare, and high-quality public schools.
Kids need a productive environment with excellent healthcare, education, and social and family support systems to grow up naturally without undue stress. However, a significant global disparity exists in providing the right atmosphere for children's growth, with most third-world countries ineligible for ratings. Even developed economies have significant socio-cultural differences in child-rearing perceptions. Correspondingly, per capita income and the quality of children's upbringing strongly correlate. Richer countries tend to have better environments for raising kids.
Moreover, countries with strong public safety measures are more favorable for families. A country's atmosphere should prioritize a comfortable environment for families, particularly those with kids, to walk around without concern.
Businesses Making an Impact in Raising Kids
Before listing the best countries for raising kids, let's take a look at some of the attractive stocks that are operating in this sphere. Industries can positively impact raising kids by developing valuable products and software that educate, entertain, and inspire children. For example, Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS), with a market cap of $150 billion, is one of the wealthiest entertainment companies. Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) has significantly influenced children's upbringing through its diverse entertainment offerings, fostering creativity and imagination. Despite losing $2.86 billion in 2020, Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) generated global revenues of $67.4 billion in 2021. Over the trailing 12 months Disney managed to increase its topline to nearly $89 billion and net income to $2.4 billion.
Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS), with its iconic entertainment content, not only entertains but also educates children through creativity and storytelling. The company has several educational and entertainment products and services that are popular with children, such as the Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney+. Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) also has a number of initiatives that are focused on supporting children, such as the Disney Magic of Healthy Living Program and the Disney VoluntEARS program.
Meanwhile, Duolingo Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL) is a language learning platform that offers free and paid courses in over 100 languages. It is an excellent tool for kids to learn new languages and can be a valuable asset for parents raising bilingual or multilingual children. Duolingo Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL) recently launched a $1 million per year program called "Duolingo Early Learners First" to support early language learning. Duolingo Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL) became the most downloaded language app globally in February 2023, with 13 million downloads.
On the other hand, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), having a market cap of $358 billion, primarily a healthcare company, has played a pivotal role in developing child-friendly health and wellness products, ensuring the well-being and safety of children. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) has many initiatives focused on improving children's health, such as the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute and the Johnson & Johnson Foundation Children's Health Fund.
Best Countries For Raising Kids
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Methodology
For our list of the 35 Best Countries For Raising Kids, we sifted through numerous Reddit Threads and web sources that ranked the best countries for raising kids.
To find relevant Reddit threads, we used search terms like “Best country to raise a family, best country to raise a child, and best location to raise a child” within the r/ScienceBasedParenting, r/Parenting, and r/Daddit subreddits and picked the most recent and engaging threads for our analysis. We counted how often each country was mentioned in our research, and the ones mentioned most frequently made our list.
Considering these details, our list of 35 Best Countries For Raising Kids is below. By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.
35 Best Countries For Raising Kids
35. Thailand
Thailand offers a multitude of advantages for families raising kids. The country provides excellent facilities for children, including quality international schools, healthcare, and recreational options. Parents benefit from affordable living costs, allowing for a comfortable lifestyle without compromising amenities. Additionally, Thailand's average schooling cost of 550,000 THB makes it an affordable option compared to other Asian countries.
34. Argentina
Argentina is a top destination for raising kids due to its focus on education and parent-friendly job initiatives. The country places a significant emphasis on education, evident through its literacy rate of 98.09%. Argentina's commitment to education is also reflected in its investment, with approximately 11.9% of its GDP allocated to the education sector.
33. Romania
Offering a supportive and nurturing environment that prioritizes the well-being of its young citizens, Romania is one of the best countries to raise kids. Romania boasts one of the world's most generous parental leave policies, providing new parents ample time to bond with their child and adjust to parenthood. Mothers are entitled to 65 days of paid maternity leave before childbirth. Maternity allowance in Romania is equivalent to 85% of the mother's average monthly income for the six months preceding leave. It is paid for the full 126 days of rest, even in cases of stillbirth. It is exempt from income taxes.
32. Turkey
Turkey emerges as a remarkable destination for raising children, fostering a nurturing atmosphere that prioritizes the well-being of its young population. The government's steadfast commitment to child development is reflected in its substantial budget allocations for childcare and education. Turkey's 2023 education budget soared to an impressive 651 billion Turkish liras, representing a significant increase from the previous year's allocation of 7.5 billion liras.
31. Cyprus
Cyprus provides free public education for all children from kindergarten through secondary school. Parents of children aged 3-4 years and 8 months enrolled in public kindergartens pay a token fee of €42.00 per month towards general expenses.
30. Slovenia
Slovenia is one of the best countries to raise kids in terms of health and entertainment. The country has a universal healthcare system that provides comprehensive coverage for all citizens, including children. Slovenia has one of the highest rates of childhood immunization in the world and a strong focus on preventive care. The country is also home to many world-class attractions, such as the Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle, as well as theme parks and water parks.
29. Slovakia
Slovakia is a great country to raise kids in terms of health and entertainment. The country has a universal healthcare system that provides comprehensive coverage for all citizens, including children. Slovak children also benefit from free dental care until the age of 18. Slovakia offers various entertainment options for kids of all ages, including parks, playgrounds, museums, cultural and sporting events, after-school programs, and summer camps.
28. Brazil
Brazil is a great place to raise kids, with some of the world's most progressive and comprehensive early childhood policies. These policies include the national protection of children's rights, the integration of children's development into the national education system starting at birth, and universal preschool education.
27. Greece
Greece offers a high quality of life regarding health, education, and safety. The country has a strong public education system, which is compulsory for children aged 6 to 15. Greece is a relatively safe country with low crime rates.
26. Estonia
Estonia is an ideal country to raise kids, offering a world-class education system, generous family leave policies, and a focus on digital skills. From kindergarten onward, students are immersed in a rigorous and enriching learning environment, emphasising digital literacy and social-emotional development. Estonia's generous family leave policies also support parents raising their children, providing ample time to bond and care for their loved ones.
25. Czech Republic
Czechia, formerly known as the Czech Republic, offers affordable tuition fees for its English-taught degrees and a lower cost of living than other popular study destinations. Students can generally expect to spend between €300 and €750 per month on living expenses, including accommodation, food, and occasional social activities.
24. South Korea
South Korea is an excellent country to raise children, with a government that firmly prioritizes the well-being of its young citizens. This commitment is evident in the generous budget allocations for childcare and education. South Korea's great parental benefits include a one-time payment of 2 million won ($1,510) upon childbirth, followed by monthly allowances of 700,000 won ($528) for infants under one and 350,000 won ($264) for infants under two. These benefits will increase to 500,000 won ($377) and 1 million won ($755) per month, respectively, in 2024.
23. Hungary
Hungary stands out as a commendable country for raising children, emphasising their well-being and development. In the 2023 budget, Hungary has allocated 2,670 billion forints (equivalent to 6.7 billion euros) towards healthcare expenditures. Subsequently, an estimated 2,371 billion forints (equivalent to 5.9 billion euros) was designated for education the following year.
22. Mexico
Mexico is a vibrant and welcoming country with a rich cultural environment and many opportunities for children to thrive. Mexico's commitment to education is evident in its extensive public education system, which serves over 25 million students from kindergarten to university. The government allocates a significant portion of its budget to education, ensuring all children have access to quality learning opportunities. This investment in education has yielded impressive results, with Mexico's literacy rate reaching 99.5%.
21. Poland
Poland is a great country to raise kids, with a government committed to education and childcare. The country has a universal preschool system for children aged 3 to 6, with an enrollment rate of 95%. Additionally, Poland has a network of affordable childcare centres, with an average of 1.2 children per centre. These factors make Poland an excellent choice for parents looking for a safe and supportive environment to raise their children.
20. Japan
Japan is increasing its spending on childcare, committing to strengthen child-rearing support by increasing family benefits expenditure per child. The government's proposed plan envisions an annual increase of approximately ¥3.5 trillion (US$25 billion).
19. Portugal
Portugal is a favourable country for raising kids, with a strong sense of community and family support networks. The average cost of living in Portugal for a family of four is €2,144.1 per month, excluding rent. Moreover, Portugal is committed to academic excellence as Portuguese students perform well in international assessments, and educational institutions are recognized and accredited.
18. Italy
Italy offers parents a universal child benefit to help offset the cost of raising a child. The Single and Universal Allowance for Dependent Children has been available to all families with dependent children in the country since March 2022.
17. France
France has a world-class education system with a focus on equity and inclusion. Moreover, all residents have access to essential healthcare services, regardless of income or employment status. Also, France is one of the safest countries in the world, with low crime rates. All these factors make France a favourable country to raise kids.
16. Spain
Spain is an exceptionally child-friendly country, with affordable living, fantastic weather, and a family-friendly culture. Children are regularly included in Spanish life, from family gatherings to community events. Moreover, Spain's 2023 budget elevates study grants by €400 million, reaching an unprecedented €2.5 billion, marking the highest allocation to date. Additionally, €300 million is designated for the Code School 4.0 initiative, targeting robotics and new technologies.
15. Luxembourg
Luxembourg is an exemplary country for raising children, steadfastly committed to providing top-tier education and healthcare. With approximately 7.5% of its GDP allocated to the primary and tertiary education sector and a significant emphasis on early childhood education, Luxembourg offers a strong foundation for its youth.
14. United Kingdom
The United Kingdom, with its rich history, vibrant culture, and unwavering commitment to education, stands as a formidable contender for fostering the next generation of creative and intellectually curious minds. UK's school revenue funding is set to increase from £57.3 billion in 2023-24 to £58.8 billion in 2024-25. Its substantial budget dedicated to children's educational and creative pursuits ensures they have access to many opportunities to explore their talents and develop their passions.
13. Ireland
Ireland has a high quality of life, a strong education system, and a safe and supportive environment. Ireland's investment in education, with a budget allocation of €8.7 billion in 2023 and a decreasing child-to-teacher ratio in primary school, makes it a great place to raise kids.
12. Germany
Nestled in the heart of Europe, Germany stands tall as a beacon of opportunity for nurturing and empowering kids. Its rich cultural tapestry and unwavering commitment to education and creativity make it an ideal haven for raising children poised to become well-rounded individuals equipped to navigate the dynamic world ahead. Beyond the formal education system, Germany's cultural landscape provides many opportunities for creative exploration. Exposure to a rich cultural heritage sparks curiosity, broadens horizons, and cultivates an appreciation for the beauty and diversity of human expression.
11. Belgium
Belgium, offering an exceptional quality of life and great family support systems, is renowned for its excellent education and healthcare provisions. The 2023 budget of Belgium has allocated a total of €4.8 million annually to cater to activities specifically tailored to meet the requirements of schools. This substantial budget manifests the nation's priority in ensuring a supportive environment for children to thrive and learn.
